Four out of six with fatal melanoma were cancer-free for nearly three years In a second study, eight out of 13 patients were in remission post-vaccination The remaining patients' cancers were controlled with additional treatment Unlike other vaccines, these jabs specifically target proteins on each tumor This enables them to fight the disease without targeting the body's healthy cells Personalized cancer vaccines could cure the disease in patients with life-threatening tumors, new research suggests. Four out of six patients with fatal melanoma have been cancer-free for nearly three years after receiving one of the two vaccines in development, a study found. In a second study, eight out of 13 patients were in remission after being given the second vaccination, while the remaining five participants' cancer was controlled with additional treatment, the research adds. Unlike previous cancer vaccines, these jabs are customized to work on specific proteins on each patient's tumor, which prevents healthy cells from being targeted, according to the researchers. Study author Professor Ugur Sahin from the Biopharmaceutical New Technologies Corporation in Mainz, Germany, said: 'The cumulative rate of metastatic (spreading) events was highly significantly reduced after the start of vaccination, resulting in a sustained progression-free survival.' Personalized cancer vaccines could cure life-threatening tumors How the studies were carried out In the first study, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston vaccinated six melanoma patients who had previously undergone surgery to remove a tumor and whose existing lesions had spread to their lymph nodes. The vaccines were created by sequencing the DNA of each patient's cancerous and healthy cells to identify proteins unique to their tumor. Computer technology allowed the researchers to predict which of these proteins would most likely trigger a immune response post-vaccination. In the second study, researchers from the Biopharmaceutical New Technologies Corporation vaccinated 13 melanoma patients with proteins specific to their tumor. These patients were followed for 23 months. Key findings Results of the first study revealed that four of the six patients have been clear of their melanoma for nearly three years. The remaining two patients were also cancer-free once they were given an additional therapy. No serious safety concerns were reported. In the second study, eight of the patients became cancer-free, while the remaining participants' tumors were controlled with additional treatment. The results of both studies are published in the journal Nature. Four out of six patients with fatal melanoma have been cancer-free for nearly three years How the vaccines work The vaccines boost certain aspects of the immune system, which helps to specifically target proteins on tumors while leaving healthy cells alone. Previous cancer vaccines focused on proteins present in both tumors and healthy cells, leading to less targeted treatments. Professor Sahin said:'Our study demonstrates that individual mutations can be exploited, thereby opening a path to personalized immunotherapy for patients with cancer. 'The cumulative rate of metastatic (spreading) events was highly significantly reduced after the start of vaccination, resulting in a sustained progression-free survival.' It is unclear when the vaccines may be available for cancer patients or if the jabs are effective in other forms of the disease. Source
